“I didn't enjoy being a snake, and yet I appear to be doomed to be reminded of it for all eternity,' Cardan was saying, black curls falling across his face. He held a three-pronged fork aloft, as though to emphasise his point. 'The excess of songs hasn't helped, nor has their longevity. It's been what? Eight years? Nine? Truly, the celebratory air about the whole business has been excessive. You'd think I never did a more popular thing than sit in the dark on a throne and bite people who annoyed me. I could have always done that. I could do that now.'

'Bite people?' echoed Jude from the other end of the table.

Cardan grinned at her. 'Yes, if that's what they like.' He snapped his teeth at the air as though to demonstrate.

'No one is interested in that,' Jude said, shaking her head.”